In one word, this book epitomises strength. It is a story about the primal love and loyalty of a Mother for her children, and about adjusting to life as a single parent; about how a single parent has to have the strength to carry on, for the sake of her children. Can there be anything beyond being a single parent? A fantastic book that will appeal to parents and contemporary fiction fans alike. I look forward to a sequal.

Steph is newly divorced with three young children. One day she breaks down in the supermarket when she doesn’t have enough cash to buy loo roll, and is helped out by Janey, a neighbour she doesn’t know that well. They be one firm friends and end up establishing a book club, just the two of them. Two becomes three, when Steph befriends Amanda.

Steph’s ex Jeep’s pestering her to get a job – and she ends up bookkeeping for Edward at his veterinary practice.

There is an instant spark between Steph and Edward, but Steph is wary as her Son hasn’t reacted well to his Dad having a new girlfriend.

The friends end up calling their book group the Single Mums Book Club, but they are more than that; they are a concrete support network for each other.

The relationship between Steph and Edward flourishes, with a few hiccups along the way, but will either Edward‘s ‘woman’ in the village, or Steph’s children get in the way of romance? You will have to read for yourself.

Cute story following the trials of a single mum just looking for friendship and connection. Heartwarming, funny and you'll find a glimpse of yourself in these moms if you have little ones!

I am a huge fan of this author and this is quite possibly my favourite book yet.

This has been the perfect read to curl up with and it has definitely made me laugh out loud numerous times.

I have been pulled into this one from the very start. This is a fun filled novel guaranteed to cheer you up on the gloomiest of days.

It is impossible to say anything negative about this novel. I have been completely pulled in and have devoured page after page of this book. I love the characters that fill the pages of this one, each feel real and relatable.

I have been pulled in from page one and devoured this gorgeous gem in just one sitting. I definitely recommend this book.

A delightful romance that I really enjoyed reading. Three lonely single mothers start a book club and become supportive of each other rather than read the books. They look out for each other through their different struggles and happiness reigns

What a wonderful feel good book that's filled with so many moments that made me laugh out loud. I read this in one sitting and will definitely be recommendating to all my friends. Can't wait to read more but this author

The Single Mum’s book club is a fun, light and engaging read. The characters are relatable and well written and I would have liked to delve deeper into the stories of the supporting characters, I’d love a follow up!

Thank you Netgalley for providing me with this book.

I really enjoyed this book! The Single Mums' Book Club was such a fun read. I loved every character in it. Stephanie, Janey, and Amanda are like a little of each of my personalities. As a single mom myself they were easy to relate to & I enjoyed reading the bits of their stories shared. I am excited to read more books by Victoria Cooke and would definitely recommend this book to anyone wanting to read something that is light, funny, & feel good.

Stephanie is mum to Ralph, Ava, and baby Henry. Her husband, Mike, decided that he wanted out of the marriage so he divorced her. She is struggling to care for the children with minimum support from Mike.

One day in the store, she breaks down and her neighbor, Janey, steps up to takes her home for tea and a chat. Since neither of them can afford to go to a pub, they decide to form a book club. Before long Amanda, a wealthy widow in the neighborhood, asks to join the club. They all really enjoying getting together.

Stephanie needs a job to help pay for food and such for the children. She sees an ad at the local veterinary hospital for a bookkeeper and applies. She get the job simply by default because no one else has applied. Leaving Henry with a carer, she works just 3 hours a day and also manages to do some work at home. Edward is the veterinarian who had taken over the practice from his father. He is very kind and a good man.

Stephanie, Janey, and Amanda are soon joined by a fourth member of the book club, Emily. While they may not always discuss the book they are supposed to be reading, they do spend time sharing confidences and supporting one another as they face the hurdles of their lives.

I really enjoyed this book and found Edward, especially, to be a wonderful man. As someone else may have mentioned in the book, my own personal opinion has always been that a man who shows compassion to children and animals is the epitome of a man in my book. Enjoy!

Copy provided by NetGalley in exchange for a fair and honest review.

Honestly, this is exactly what I needed right now. In case I haven't mentioned it five hundred times already, I'm in the middle of my exams. Of final year. Of uni. So yeah, it's all a bit stressful. And this book 100% helped take my mind off things.

It was just so easy to fall into this world of comfort. Steph was easy to like, the story easy to follow, and the couple so easy to root for. They had a very beautiful, organic sort of chemistry and I really enjoyed all their banter and jokes. Couple aside, I absolutely loved the friendships in this book, they way we got to see those women trust and care for one another. Will I ever get tired of seeing female friendships in books? The answer is no, and this one was particularly refreshing, mostly due to their age. It may not have been a life-or-death situation, with the extremely high stakes of other books that I've praised for their depiction of friendship in the past, but their relationship felt so natural, and so real , and that made it so much more special.

In summary, thank you Victoria Cooke for a very very sweet novel. Big fan.

I was so pleasantly surprised by this book! It was just the heartwarming story I needed.
I loved seeing Stephanie figuring out how to be a single mother of three following a divorce. Stephenie's struggles and breakdowns felt genuine and very realistic. I think many women could relate to her.

I loved the meaningful friendships that were built in this book! Stephanie happens to fall into Janey and Amanda and together they decide to open a book club. The book club was less about discussing a certain book, and more about seeing each other, drinking wine, and knowing they have one another to lean on.

I think the main topic of the book was Stephanie coming to terms with her divorce, finding a job, and growing as a single woman with three children. There was romance in the book, but it wasn't the sole purpose of the book.

Speaking of the romance, it was so adorable! Edward is a vet (loved that) and Stephanie's new boss. He is also handsome, a bit quirky, and makes Stephanie's stomach flutter. It is a steam-free romance, so if that is something you prefer then definitely pick this book up!

The chapters were short and the book was fast-paced.

The only two things I would have liked to be different:
1. A bit more romance. I personally prefer some steam in a romance book.
2. More book chat during the book clubs.

The plot follows a recently divorced Mum, Steph, and her 2 unlikely friends as they navigate their way through life following marriage breakdowns & heartbreak.

A lighthearted, laugh-out-loud in parts, tale of friendship, perfectly suited to reading on a beach this summer. I loved Edward's character, especially how he managed to be both awkward & cringe-worthy, but also funny & caring.

Thanks to Net Galley for giving me the chance to read this before it's publication date. It's out now & I'd recommend if you're after an easy to pick up read.

This is a super fun summer read. light hearted often comical romance novel. Any mom single or not can relate to this book.

Great blurb, and a great cover - excellent ways to draw a reader in, and The Single Mums Book Club provides us with both!

Stephanie is a single Mum of three, who is struggling with her newfound situation. She had always craved to be part of a stereotypical family unit, and for a few short years she had achieved that. Unfortunately, her husband had decided that he wasn't actually keen on marriage, and therefore ended her perfect family life. As a result, Stephanie finds herself regularly alone, with three children, and very little help. She needs to find herself again, but she has no time, no money and she didn't even get to keep her friends in the divorce. After what can only be described as an epic breakdown in the local supermarket, Stephanie finds herself in the company of her neighbour Janey, a fellow Mum with her own problems. And so, the Single Mum's Book Club was born! With the addition of Amanda, a widowed woman desperately in need of company, these three women form a support group that is, at times, loosely based on books!

The descriptions of motherhood in this book are scarily accurate, divorced or not. We've all felt stressed, juggling the many tasks that we are faced with when we have children. Even if you've got a supportive partner, life is always hectic when children are involved! Victoria Cooke captures the feelings of Mums everywhere beautifully - she really shows how women can feel torn, how much they adore their children, and how they really do put their children first.

I loved following Stephanie's story - it was good to see her realise that her perfect family life may not have actually been that perfect. In fact it was good to see her realise how her idea of perfect may not have been perfect for her at all! Naturally we got a lovely little romance thrown in for good measure, which was not picture perfect either - dating a divorced mother of three is never going to be easy, but I loved following their own story.

I am more than happy to recommend this novel - it was a lovely, easy read which was very easy to relate to. Perfect for a bank holiday weekend - so grab yourself a copy, a blanket and a glass of wine and dive right in!

The story follows a recently single mum who's husband has left her and she now has time for the first time in years so she ends joining a book blub with a couple of neighbors. While I found the book humorous in spots and incredibly relatable, it just didn't do much for me. I found the characters all surface level and the romance between the main character and her boss quite boring. There wasn't anything about this one that stood out. It wasn't a bad book/story just completely "meh" for me.

Thank you NetGalley and HQ Digital for the arc in exchange for an honest review.

SO MUCH FUN! Victoria Cook never disappoints! I said this about the last book I read from her and I’ll say it again, this is the best book I’ve read from Victoria yet! Stephanie is a single mom to three young kids just coming to terms with her year long divorce. After a major breakdown at the grocery store she befriends her neighbor Janey. Out of this friendship a book club is born. Shortly after Amanda and Emily join and the group is dubbed the Single Moms’‘ Book Club. Not only has Stephanie made new friends, but she has also started a new job as a bookkeeper at the local Vet’s office. There appears to be an instant connection between Stephanie and Edward the Vet even though he prefers tweed. But it’s complicated! Stephanie isn’t ready to introduce a new man into her kids lives and it appears as though Edward is taken.

Loved everything about the story! The book club moms were great. I loved their friendships and the way they supported one another. I was even OK with the fact that they didn’t always read the book. The romance was a slow burn, sweet and somewhat awkward. Stephanie was extremely relatable, as a mom and a single mom at that I found her character extremely authentic. Edward was a great love interest a little goofy, but so caring and kind. This was just such a wonderful heartwarming story that made me feel all warm and gooey inside.

This book in emojis 🐶 🐱 🫖 🍷 📚

*** Big thank you to HQ Digital for my gifted copy of this book. All opinions are my own. ***

This is a genuinely funny, heart warming take that is a perfect curl up on the sofa for a read from cover to cover (which is exactly what I did). A thumbs up for this excellent story.

An immensely enjoyable read full of humour, wit and warmth, Victoria Cooke ticks all the right boxes with her latest novel, The Single Mums’ Book Club.

Single mum Stephanie is absolutely exhausted. With her husband deciding that marriage is simply not for him, poor Stephanie has been left holding the baby – literally. Juggling motherhood with her million and one commitments leaves her with no time for herself. However, Stephanie has had enough. It’s time to put herself first for a change, so when she joins a book club with her friends Amanda and Janey, Stephanie is not only putting herself at the front of the queue, but she is finally going to start living life on her own terms. Forget dirty nappies and lost PE Kits, it’s prosecco time. However, it quickly transpires that it isn’t just literature that is on her mind…

The Book Club has given Stephanie a new lease on life, however, the time has come for her to put the books down and experience some real-life romance. When her friends convince her to go on a date with her boss, will Stephanie end up finding her real life Mr Darcy? Or will Stephanie need to resign herself to finding her happy ending between the pages of her favourite books?

I was completely bowled over by Victoria Cooke’s The Single Mums’ Book Club! Hilariously witty, highly relatable and wonderfully romantic, The Single Mums’ Book Club is feel-good romance at its best. Stephanie, Amanda and Janey are terrific characters and their book club is so much fun, it’s a shame that it isn’t real because I would absolutely love to join them!

A delicious and delectable read I couldn’t bear to put down, Victoria Cooke’s The Single Mums’ Book Club is a fabulous romp readers are simply going to love.

This was a very fast paced read with short easy chapters. I loved their book club dynamic and even though it was more of a support group than a book club, I loved it. One day I hope to find a club like that to connect with!

I’ll be honest that I had high expectations about this book, and somehow Victoria Cooke has managed to produce something that has far exceeded them.

I have found this book completely compelling and struggled to put it down, almost swallowing it down in one big gulp.

The characters in this book are vibrant, real and relatable. I loved Stephanie’s insights into the reality of motherhood, and I loved seeing Edward’s strength, but also his vulnerabilities. Stephanie is a hard-working, loving, homemaker who wants nothing more than for her to children to have the happy childhood she missed out. This character development and darker element of the story ensures that the reader has complete sympathy for Stephanie and is really rooting for her, and her children’s happiness.

The theme of friendship is huge in this book. It is clear that once the book club is established, the women involved know that they have each other’s backs and it gives them a confidence to take risks and make quite significant life choices, or changes.

This has been a wonderfully heart-warming book about fresh starts, friendship and family, and one that I have absolutely loved reading. I would definitely recommend this author to fans of Milly Johnson and Mary Jayne Baker. I can’t wait to read more by this author!

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

Stephanie is struggling since her divorce. Her ex is pushy, her friends absent, and she's struggling to make ends meet since no-one wants to hire a bookkeeper who's ten years absent from the job market. But after a breakdown in the supermarket leads to friendship with the neighbour across the road, Steph finally has the space and support to build the life she wants to live.

There's a trend in books recently - and I'm guilty of the same - of lumping women's fiction in with romances, but in the words of Seanan McGuire, "Romance is an ingredient as well as a genre, and it's everywhere". While there is certainly some crossover, this book is clearly the former rather than the latter. It's not the story of Steph-and-Ed, but the story of Steph, in which Ed plays a part - as do her children, her friends, and even her ex.

It's sometimes laugh-out-loud, sometimes touching, and I'm sure for many will be very relatable. When we meet her, Steph's life is both frustrating and familiar, and it's lovely to see her break the same old cycles. I adored the female friendship that is front and centre here - her old "friends" might be useless but her new ones are delightful in their encouragement and camaraderie despite their own setbacks.

There's no villain here. Like life, there are people with antagonistic characteristics, but one thing the narrative does well is show that everyone is struggling with something, and the best thing we can do is be kind. And also set boundaries, because that's also important.

For a feel-good slice of life about life and parenthood after divorce, take this one to your next book club!

Disclaimer: I received a copy of this book from the publisher via Netgalley; all opinions are my own